Page 22 of The Kissing Booth
‘Yes?’ I snapped irritably.
‘It’s, uh, it’s Adam. Listen, don’t hang up, I just wanted to apologize for this morning. I didn’t really think it through, I guess, what I was saying. So... yeah. Sorry.’
I blinked a few times, trying to clear my mind. Adam? Calling toapologize?
I couldn’t believe it. Although maybe that was because he sounded like he was trying not to laugh.
‘Um... Elle? You still there?’
‘Y-yeah,’ I stammered quickly. ‘Sorry, I’m just – just using the stove a sec.’ What the hell? Who gets distracted on a phone call because they’re using thestove? Atten p.m.?
‘You’re calling pretty late, you know,’ I said hastily. ‘Maybe a little too late for apologies?’
‘I know, but I just wanted to say sorry.’
‘Well, thanks,’ I said curtly. ‘I’ve got to go now, Adam so I’ll–’
‘Hold on a sec.’
‘I don’t want to hear it, whatever it is.’
‘You don’t want to have dinner with me, then?’ I could just imagine the smug look on his face from his cocky tone. It made me grind my teeth. ‘Give me a chance to really apologize?’
‘No. Bye.’
I hung up and threw my phone on the couch before he could utter another syllable. What an ass.
And Lee said I was too nice... Ha!
I snorted quietly at that thought, feeling quite satisfied with myself for being so blunt with Adam – though that wasn’t what I was thinking about when I went upstairs.
There was only one thing running through my mind. Predictably enough – it was Noah.
For some reason, all I could think about was Sunday morning when we’d fallen off the bed: the look in his eyes – the look I remembered perfectly but couldn’t fathom, with his bright eyes shadowed and holding mine.
Because you don’t look like that at your substitute little sister, right?
Of course I was being ridiculous; it was just my sleepy thoughts wandering into dreamland. But it made me think maybe there was a different reason he got involved in that fight that morning.
I scoffed at myself, my eyes already drooping shut.
‘You’re an idiot, Elle,’ I muttered. ‘A total fool...’
School the next day wasn’t so bad. There were a couple of joking wolf-whistles and teasing loud comments, but I didn’t pay them any attention. And I only heard them when Noah was nowhere near.
Lee was muttering about them and I said, ‘Well, it’s kind of my fault. I mean, I did try stripping off to skinny-dip...’
He gave me a look, making me trail off. ‘What did I say yesterday?Too nice.’
‘How was thattoo nice?’ I demanded.
‘It’s not like you go parading yourself around, do you? You have some decency. One drunken mistake, and those guys are practically undressing you with their eyes.’
I sighed. ‘Come on. I’m notthathot.’
‘Have you looked in the mirror lately, Miss Thirty-Four C?’
‘Lee!’ I shouted, smacking his arm. I felt my cheeks go red. ‘Don’t say it so loud!’
